PDD Employee Held by ACB for Demanding Rs 5,000 Bribe in Srinagar

SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday said it has trapped and arrested a Lineman-II of the Power Development Department (PDD), Sub Division Pattan, Baramulla, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000.

ACB spokesperson in a statement said, “ACB received a written complaint alleging that Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, Lineman-II (designated as Meter Reader, Panzinara) in PDD Sub Division Pattan, demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 from the complainant for processing a fresh electricity connection for a newly constructed residential house at Panzinara, Shalteng, Srinagar.”

The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the ACB for legal action against the accused public servant.

“Following the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted by a designated officer. Upon confirmation of the allegations, FIR No. 13/2025 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended), was registered at Police Station ACB Srinagar, and investigation was initiated. During the investigation, a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and caught the accused, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, resident of Buran Pattan, Baramulla, red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 5,000 from the complainant at Panzinara, Shalteng, Srinagar,” the statement reads.

The accused was arrested on the spot by the ACB team in accordance with the legal procedure. The bribe money was also recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team.